Thursday, May 29, 2008

I didn’t know that I actually shared some same points with a poster that is pasted on the wall in the blood donation room. The poster is published by Pusat Darah Negara and the points are all about excuses that people may have for them to avoid from donating their blood. However, I want to stress here; you must donate your blood voluntarily. No force.

I don’t have any blood to spare.We check your hemoglobin level to ensure that you have enough blood before we allow you to donate.Duh...

I am too weak!If you are healthy enough to be walking around now you can’t be too weak to donate. In any case the amount taken is replaced in a few hours time and so there is no reason for anybody to feel weak.You are weak in what sense people? Fight the satan that weakens your strength.

I am scared to give blood.Who isn’t the first time but don’t you ever want to overcome this fear?Be strong people!

Since no one in my family has ever used blood, why should I give?Consider yourself lucky but now are you sure that no body in your family will ever need blood? The need for blood can arise at any time. If you help somebody now, others will rally around to help you when necessary.You want to see someone in your family dies due to anemia, only then you’ll give?

I have already given blood once before.Very good, but many people donate as many as four times a year. If everybody gives twice a year, we can meet our requirements.If you had it once, why not for the second time and next and next?

I am too busy.Everybody is but then if thousands of people can spare half an hour of their time to help another you too can surely spare the time.Cliché excuse. We have time for unbeneficial things but have no time for charity. Don’t you agree?

I am too thin.Maybe but if your weight over 45kg you can give.Ehem... er... who’s here 45kg in weight or below?

I have heard that blood donation can make me fat.Come on, surely you can’t seriously believe such a tale. There is no medical evidence to suggest this.Then it’s good for those who claim they are thin! …if they believe this statement la.

You won’t want my blood because of the illness that I had.You may be right but have you checked that this is really the case?Are you really sick that you tend to say such excuse? Or you really want to be sick to be transfused with blood? Ho... that’s harsh :p

Other people must be giving, so why me?True, now more and more donors are needed each year. So every donor counts.Argh!!! I can’t accept this question la.

My blood isn’t the right type.You aren’t exclusive in this and all types are the right types.Don’t say this unwise statement people, please…

Sunday, May 25, 2008

To be updated. But what is BD? Does this picture give you any idea? Anyone could guess? Haha... This is not contest anyway :p

Update:

No. It’s not about birthday, bad day, or what ever Jenny and Kak Izyan tried to guess. Thanks for guessing anyway. I really appreciate and salute your efforts. Huhu...

It’s about blood donation people. Yes, this is the full picture of the previous one. That was on 21st May 2008 where I donated my blood for the sixth time. For your information, I never knew that in Banting Hospital, there’s a special section in the Pathology Department for donating blood. All these while, I only participated in blood donation drives when there were functions or events around IIUM in Kuantan, PJ and Gombak.

No, I don’t mean to be bragger, but to encourage you to donate your blood also!

The most common hindrance among people to donate their blood is their own fear. They are afraid the needle would spill their blood till that they get anemic. No people, you have to fight with your inner fear to tell yourselves that you’re actually doing blessed yet rewarded charity.

Imagine, one day your loved one involves in a massively horrible accident where he/she loses his/her blood and they need immediate blood transfusion. But since the blood bank has no supply, who will and could help? And now, put that loved one as yourselves; do you want to die just because of that reason?

It’s never too late to start donating your blood now. Who knows one day you’ll need blood transfusion? No, I don’t mean you’ll get your own blood that you donate years ago, but what goes around comes around right?

“Is it hurt?”“I’m afraid...”“The needle... runnnnn!!!”

Please people, think positive. Have you heard anyone dies right after they donate their blood? As far as I know, no. The staffs are professional and trained to do their job. Insha-Allah they’ll serve the best they could.

I read report of pass years National Blood Donation published by Pusat Darah Negara. There are lists of hospitals that provide blood donation service. Maybe the hospital next to your door does have it, but maybe you never know. Just ask me which hospital, I’ll try to see if it’s in the list.

You thrive on the unknown and unpredictable. Novelty is your middle name. You are a challenger. You tend to challenge common assumptions and beliefs. An expert inventor and problem solver, you approach everything from new angles. You show people how to question their models of the world.

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people. Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah. Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

I have been tagged by two blog members about same thing – 8 random facts about me. Thanks to Dinie and Kak Izyan for humbly tagging me. Huhu... But mind you people, what you are about to read are random facts about me and they are genuinely true! And please think it positively because I can’t deny, and nobody can in fact the fact that I am only human being with many faults and mistakes and of course sins. Haha… did I make this sound so serious? :p

1. In every morning, usually I don’t and don’t want to wake up after the first ring of the alarm. But it’s not a problem for me. I take the first ring as a sign that it’s already Subh and it’s almost the time to actually wake up and start the day! I have set the second ring 15 minutes after the first one.

2. I am easily annoyed by smoker. Ok, to be more specific, to the smoke from the smokers. It can directly affect my mood just right after I smell the smoke, especially when I’m taking my meals because I cannot move from the site right on the spot to avoid from the dangerous smoke. So for smokers, for not inducing temporary hatred from me, avoid your smoke from me ok. I don’t want to be secondary smoker and then get indirect but worse health effect from the toxic smoke that you inhale!

3. I think I am not as soft as what I used to be once upon a time. I think I have changed, improved. I don’t know how people see me, but from my personal view, I think I have reduced the softness in me – the way I speak, the way I walk, the way I think, the way I show myself. Maybe you don’t have any idea how soft I was – it was up to a point where people ask "is that a boy or a girl?" But dear people; don’t simply judge and condemn the softies. They need your guidance to change, to be like you, to be normal. They are challenged by Allah with their own way.

4. I can’t avoid from loving to cook! Haha... the gene is in me. My mother owns a coffee house. My mother’s siblings are all excellent in cooking. They either own their own coffee house, or work in restaurant as cook. More about cooking, to me preparing Malay’s cookeries is comparatively harder than cooking Western’s. That’s why I cook Western foods more frequently than traditional ones. Although I sometimes do watch football matches, i watch Chef Wan's show more than it. Huhu...

5. Before I sleep, the most common thing that I do is checking the SMS inbox. I just want to make sure my short term mission and tasks of the day have been successfully done. If in case I haven’t finished anything, I couldn’t get to sleep, or if I could it’ll be not easy for me to sleep or I will have nightmare. Huhu...

6. I don’t have any sister siblings and that reflect how I interact and understand women of about my age. It’s true that I have my mother to learn and observe about women but she’s not a good example for me to learn about communicating with emotional women. My mother is very good in dealing with her own emotion, and I should say that she is always emotionally stable. She’s not emotionally stable when watching sad Malay TV drama only. Huhu...

7. I have grey hair. They’ve grown since I was at early of secondary school. My parents said I inherit it from my mother’s descendant. That means the gene is in me, so I can’t help it. Hu~ However, I could see the grey hair is decreasing in frequency as compared to when I was in secondary school. I once dyed it with black dye but when I know it’s haram and physically unhealthy, I stopped using it. Owh, and more about my hair, I once did rebonding when I was in matric but that didn’t make me any more handsome, but more beautiful. Haha... you know what I mean...

8. I love adventurous activities like climbing mountains, flying fox, and etc very much, but what makes the reach to them is stopped is my parents' blessing. Usually if they know I want to get involve in such activities, they won't allow me to participate. Hm~ But I know that they are just worry if anything bad happens to me so that they don't want any harms to befallen on me. So that's why la~

If you can see, most of the facts are about my weaknesses. I take this tag as something to reflect who I am and who I was. This entry is more about to remind me about myself. Thank you for tagging me, but no more tagging ya? Huhu...

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

No, I didn’t go to Kuantan that Monday. I’ve sent a letter to that particular personnel (note: Pos Ekspers ok~) on behalf of me to say my apology for not answering the invitation. In the same letter, I stated my phone number for the personnel to call me should he has any further inquiries.

Not shockingly, I got a call this morning. I intuitively could guess who’s on the line. Yes, the same person whom I addressed the letter. I was really thankful and happy that he could and would like to contact me via the phone to ask me further questions before he actually sign the application.

Disclaimer: The phone conversation followed has been translated into English but the basic content of it is preserved and some other discussions are unrevealed. No names mentioned except mine.

The addressee: I’ve received your letter. Are sure you want to proceed with the application? But before that, I’d like to ask some questions, just for the sake of betterment of our service...

Szakif: Yes sir.

The addressee: What’s wrong actually?

Szakif: Ha? Nothing wrong actually but it’s just that I wasn’t satisfied with the result. It wasn’t a hard course and wasn’t also a very easy course. However I think I should get better result. So that’s why I applied for the recheck.

The addressee: So no problem with the lecturer?

Szakif: You mean Dr. Toxicology? Nah... To me, although the system of teaching that he used wasn’t usually practiced by other lecturers, I thought I managed to follow what he instructed. Nothing much about it. Although it was basically exam-oriented system, but I have no problem with it. It was just OK to me. The system was new to us, but personally to me, I have no problem with it. And in class, maybe some said they understood with what he instructed but at the back they don’t really get what he meant.

The addressee: Would you like him to be your lecturer again in coming semesters?

Szakif: Since I haven’t chosen any concentration yet, so I’m not sure if he’ll be teaching me again. But those who take Industrial Health Concentration will be having lectures with him. But I have no problem with him. That's all I can say.

The addressee: If you’re to rank him, out of ten, how much would you give?

Szakif: (Wah... Is this oral TER or what? Huhu...) Well, I would give a number (?).

The addressee: You know the risk of applying for recheck right? You really understand what you might get? There’s a probability that the grade drops.

Szakif: Insya-Allah, I hope I will get better grade and if not, please maintain it. Who wants it to be downgraded right?

The addressee: Well that I can’t promise because I am not the one who’ll be marking the paper.

Szakif: Yes, yes... I understand that. It’s just that I pray the grade won’t drop.

The addressee: So, I shall sign your application. No regret ya?

Szakif: Insya-Allah. I just can pray.

The addressee: I think that’s all. Where do you do your practical training Zaki?

Szakif: At Hospital Banting. It’s in my hometown.

The addressee: Owh. You’re from Banting! Orang badminton!

Szakif: Haha... Yes, and last Friday we missed to the final. I was so sad.

The addressee: Well, that’s the essence of a game. There must be one who wins, and one who loses. Ok la. Thanks ya Zaki?

Monday, May 19, 2008

Hobby. That’s the word I expected a winner to mention it in previous contest but obviously none of the contestants was successful in guessing the word behind the picture. However, I’d like to congratulate Hawa because she’s given the best caption and she was almost to reach to the real deal in this entry. For the win, Hawa will get a treat in Secret Recipe worth... well, let that kept between the two of us. Huhu...

Yes. I love photography. For some unexplainable reasons, I love this activity that I’ve adopted as my hobby. I found a lot of satisfaction when I capture scenic and abstract pictures.

Sometimes I just unconsciously click the button of the camera and there you go; a photo like a pro! But most of the times I deliberately take pictures, hoping it to look nice and beautiful with my effort.

I love to capture photos of the nature. I love to capture photos from unthinkable sites and sides. I don’t know. I just love it! When I look back to the pictures, I said to myself – Subhanallah...

I love to go to blogs, flickr and fotopages that feature picturesque and beautiful pictures. I went to my ex-add-math-teacher, Cikgu Amir Azmi’s blog to see his photography works. He has joined a group of professional photographers and from there he has learnt a lot about photography. Now I’m thinking of doing the same too. Maybe not now, because I know to buy the best camera may cost thousands! Anyone would like to share with me about photography? I really would like to explore more about this.

Relating this to my current career as biomedical science student, it reminds me when the first time I tried doing career test. I was in early Form 4 that time. After doing the test, the result showed my future career would be a photojournalist. It sounded interesting! May be I’ll be writing journals about biomedical science and research with full of pictures? Haha... Well, you know how boring it’ll be when going through pages of the journals? This is because they are generally compacted with millions of words! Black and white! We should change this! Let’s go colorful. Hehe...

Back to the topic, I am still learning and I want to learn more skills in photography. Now I have an 8 megapixels camera, bought by my abah for me. It’s time to do more picture capturing people. Smile and say cheese... No, I’m not taking your picture, but the nature’s smile.. :p

Thursday, May 08, 2008

I got a call from an office asking me about my application to recheck the exam result for last semester. The caller asked me something that I couldn’t easily do. Disclaimer: The phone conversation followed has been translated into English but the basic content of it is preserved. No names mentioned except mine.

The caller: Zaki, you filled in an application to recheck your exam result, right? Someone asked you to come to Kuantan to see him, next Monday. If you don’t come, he wouldn’t put his sign in your form.

Szakif: Ha? Why?

The caller: If you don’t come, it shows that you’re not serious with the application.

Szakif: But I’m doing my practical training now, how would I go there on Monday?

The caller: That’s the thing. I’ve told him that but he still wants you come and see him.

Szakif: Can’t it be over the phone instead? It’ll be hard for me to do so. One; because I live in Banting, which is far from Kuantan. Two: because I’m doing practical training now.

The caller: Cannot… Where do you do your practical training, Zaki?

Szakif: Here in Banting, my hometown. I thought I’ve paid RM50 the application? Isn’t it enough to prove how serious I am with the application?

The caller: I don’t know. I’m just doing my job.

Szakif: If I don’t come, my application will be rejected. How about the money?

The caller: It will be returned. Don’t worry.

Szakif: How many other applicants?

The caller: Around 6.

Szakif: And they are asked to do the same?

The caller: Yup.

Szakif: Ok la. Let me discuss with my parents first because it’ll involve (their) money to go to Kuantan. And I have to discuss with my practical training supervisor for a leave. Could you please give me your number?

Then the caller gave me her number for me to update to her anything regarding the matter.

Haiya... This really make me sick la...

I used my own money from the loan I got from SUK Selangor to pay for the application. Note that RM50 means a lot to afford for a student, but considering it’ll be worthwhile to recheck for a paper that I think I should get better grade, I didn’t mind. But now I am asked to go Kuantan instead to see that personnel, to show that I am serious with my application? That is so bureaucratic. Isn’t it enough to fill in a form and pay, and then wait for the result to change, or to maintain?

However for your information, to fill in the form, I didn’t do it myself. Since I couldn’t and wouldn’t make it to Kuantan just to fill a one-page form, I asked a favor from a helpful friend to do it, and that was after suggested by the same caller. Isn’t it enough to show how hard it has been just for an application to be done? Now, it’s becoming harder by asking me to go to Kuantan. Argh!

Imagine if I have gone to Kuantan to fill in the form by my self and then asked again to go there to show my seriousness. That’ll be even pathetic.

Hey people, we have technologies nowadays to be made full use of. Why don’t use it? They are developed to make distance close, to make life easier. Haiya... but still some people don’t see it as it is. Menyusahkan betol!

Monday, May 05, 2008

This is a short note. I’ve discovered some readers of this blog by chance found it after searching some words that are related to my course that I’m doing, and to greater extent some other related words basically because I write those words in this blog. To them, I want to say welcome to this blog and if you have any questions regarding the course that you’re planning to take in Kulliyyah of Science (KOS), you are highly wholeheartedly welcome to forward your questions to me, be it via email (az_zakingompol[at]yahoo[dot]com),YM (az_zakingompol), via Friendster or whatever way. Insha-Allah I will try to answer accordingly.

I compliment to people who do some research on what they are planning to do in the future; in this case what to choose when they further their study in degree level after finishing the foundation study in CENFOS. A round of applause to you people! That shows that you have vision or at least some concern about your own future. My advice is: don’t stop searching and never say “I’m done searching”.

For those who will be admitting in the Garden of Knowledge and Virtue of IIUM but far in the heart of Kuantan, don’t listen to rumor. They might not be true.

I need to say this: I've studied equally 3 semesters in both Gombak and Kuantan campuses. I love both, but Kuantan Campus is more “Dekat di Hati”...

Szakif

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